HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 411 



communication of affairs. As for little envies, or 

 emulations upon foreign princes, which are frequent 

 with many kings, he had never any : but went sub 

 stantially to his own business. Certain it is, that 

 though his reputation was great at home, yet it was 

 greater abroad. For foreigners that could not see 

 the passages of affairs, but made their judgments 

 upon the issues of them, noted t that he was ever in 

 strife, and ever aloft. It grew also from the airs 

 which the princes and states abroad received from 

 their ambassadors and agents here ; which were 

 attending the court in great number : whom he did 

 not only content with courtesy, reward, and private- 

 ness : but, upon such conferences as passed with 

 them, put them in admiration, to find his universal 

 insight into the affairs of the world : which though 

 he did suck chiefly from themselves, yet that which 

 he had gathered from them all, seemed admirable to 

 every one. So that they did write ever to their 

 superiors in high terms, concerning his wisdom and 

 art of rule ; nay, when they were returned, they did 

 commonly maintain intelligence with him. Such a 

 dexterity be had to impropriate to himself all 

 foreign instruments. 



He was careful and liberal to obtain good intel 

 ligence from all parts abroad : wherein he did not 

 only use his interest in the liegers here, and his 

 pensioner, which he had both in the court of Rome, 

 and other the courts of Christendom ; but the in 

 dustry and vigilancy of his own ambassadors in 

 foreign parts. For which purpose his instructions 

 VOL. 3. B B 



